1. Field of Invention
This invention relates in general to routers as used in the field of woodworking and, more particularly, to a system for mounting a router to a router table.
2. Description of Prior Art
The router is among the most versatile of woodworking tools. When fitted with a cutting tool, or router bit, and properly guided, it can be used to cut rabbets, dados, mortises, tenons and to perform a variety of other wood shaping operations. A number of accessories are available to make these cuts safer and easier to perform. Perhaps the most versatile of these accessories is the router table. A router table allows for mounting an inverted router below the work surface of the table. An opening in the table allows the router bit to protrude above the work surface. The work piece can then be brought into contact with the spinning bit to make the desired cut.
The major components of a router are a motor with bit receiving collet, a base and a sub-base. In order to mount a router to a router table, the prior art requires that the router be inverted and the fasteners securing the router sub-base to the router base be removed. These fasteners are typically machine screws and require the use of a tool such as a screwdriver or a hex key type wrench for removal. The sub-base is then set aside. The inverted router is then held in place beneath the work surface of the router table, and the mounting holes in the table are aligned with the mounting holes in the router base. Fasteners and an appropriate tool are then used to secure the router to the router table. It should be noted that the sub-base mounting screws are typically not long enough to serve as the router-to-table mounting screws due to the difference in thickness between the router sub-base and the router table top, and therefore additional longer screws must be obtained. It should also be noted that, once the router is secured to the table, the installation process must be reversed and the sub-base re-attached to use the router in the hand mode of operation again. It should be appreciated that the above process is somewhat difficult, time consuming and requires the use of tools and fasteners.